Do you run out of hot water mid-shower? Or, do you find that you can’t get your water hot enough, especially if you’re running multiple faucets at the same time? You don’t have to live with it. You can change or replace your water Heater to get the amount of water or the temperature that you want. It doesn’t have to be expensive either. Here are the causes of poor water heater performance and your options to fix it.

Your Options When You Run Out of Hot Water

 Do you limit the length of your shower because you might run out of hot water? Do you have to wait to do laundry or run the dishwasher if you want to have a shower? If you run out of hot water you have a few options to fix it:

• Install a tankless water heater: Tankless water heaters will never run out of hot water because they heat the water as it moves through the pipes. It doesn’t need to recharge its supply of hot water and run as long as you want.
• Install a larger tank: If you don’t like the idea of using a tankless water heater, you can always purchase a water heater with a larger tank. That way, you have a larger supply of hot water. If you have a three or four-person household, you may need at least a 40-gallon tank to meet supply. Smaller families who use more hot water may find they need this size too. However, be warned that this larger model will likely cost more to operate than your current water heater because it always needs more energy to keep a larger amount of water hot.

Your Options When the Water Isn’t Hot Enough

Is your problem that you have enough hot water, but it isn’t hot enough for you? There are a few ways to solve this problem, depending on what is causing it.

• Turn up the temperature: It may be that your water heater is set to a low temperature. In fact, temperatures below 135 Fahrenheit in tank water heaters can allow bacteria to develop, which can be a serious health hazard. Have your plumber set your water heater temperature at least at 140 Fahrenheit and higher if that still isn’t enough. Do not exceed the temperature the water heater is meant to operate at. By the time it comes out of the tap, the water should have cooled to a maximum of 120 Fahrenheit, or you may burn yourself.
• Add another tankless water heater: In large homes, one tankless water heater may not be able to produce enough hot water to meet your demand. If you run multiple faucets at a time, or also run the laundry or dishwasher, you can max out your hot water. Adding a second water heater to supply more water is the only solution if you want to keep it all running at once.

Not sure which solution is right for you? Reach out to your plumber to discuss your options.

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